Confuddling range test results

[glocke12]

Today I decided to test the limits of my Air 3S by seeing how far I could fly to N,E, S and W.

In short, I was surprised to see that if I flew in a North/Northeasterly direction I was able to fly well over one mile away before my signal strength dropped down to 4 bars. I didn't push it further after that and brought it back home at that point.

For all the other compass points, I've barely been able to go more than 3/4 of a mile from my home point before the signal strength indicator turns orange ( it will literally go from full strength to orange in those directions ).

I find this rather odd for the main reason that there are no significant changes to the topography in any of those directions, at the most there is maybe a 50 change in elevation at the most.

to the west, I can sort of understand losing signal quickly because there are some fairly thick stands of timber in that direction, but thats it, no buildings or other significant structures of any type are present there or elsewhere in this area.

All flights were conducted over fields and woodlands so no people or structures were put in danger because of my actions.

There was no treadmill involved in this test, and the only explanation I have is that there is a magnet in the drone and it is being pulled to the north by magnetism.

 

[Rockowe]

So many thingss can influence your range - in a certain direction.

ie
* Wifi signals aimed in the direction of travel (or crossing your path) from various types of antenaes. LTE - Dish
* Trees and blockages close to 'home'
* height above ground

Im on a mountain - and in a Particular direction - my signal goes orange -... But strangely goes back to green - if I move away from that area - to further my distance ...

Try increase your Personal height or your drone height - (if you can see it - Line of sight - its better than if not)

Just a few observations.

 

[PyroProdigy]

Wind, the sun and clouds also can effect signals. Many people don't know what the wind can be a big factor with signals of all kinds. Radio wave interface as well.

 

[mavic3usa]

No idea but all I can tell you is I would be super unhappy if I lost a bar out in the middle of nowhere with an Air 3S at 4000 feet but you didn't say how high. Try another completely different location.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Wind, the sun and clouds also can effect signals. Many people don't know what the wind can be a big factor with signals of all kinds. Radio wave interface as well.

Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect upon signal strength, and other than causing trees to blow in an obstructing manner, should have no effect upon your drone signal range.

 

[PyroProdigy]

Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect upon signal strength, and other than causing trees to blow in an obstructing manner, should have no effect upon your drone signal range.

Wrong.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Wrong. My spouse is one of the top people in the country for networking and computer stuff. He knows better than you

Maybe try using Google, rather than relying entirely upon your husband, or your poor understanding of what he told you.

Just google, "Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect on signal strength"
QED.

 

[PyroProdigy]

Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect upon signal strength, and other than causing trees to blow in an obstructing manner, should have no effect upon your drone signal range.

Environmental factors, such as wind, temperature, humidity, pressure, and sea state, significantly influence the propagation of radio waves used by wifi. While wind doesn't directly affect radio waves, it influences the atmosphere's refractive index, or its ability to bend waves. These environmental variations can cause the signal to deviate from its expected path, a phenomenon known as ducting.
Ducting traps radio waves within a specific atmospheric layer, causing them to anomalously long radio wave propagation.
Thermal inversion can also be a factor. This also can cause ducting.



The attached photo is just a demonstration of how ducting works. Its effects are seen in the troposphere.

 

[PyroProdigy]

Maybe try using Google, rather than relying entirely upon your husband, or your poor understanding of what he told you.

Just google, "Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect on signal strength"
QED.

Ok well guess what?! Google can be wrong as well. I'll trust an expert over Google any day of the year

 

[PyroProdigy]

Maybe try using Google, rather than relying entirely upon your husband, or your poor understanding of what he told you.

Just google, "Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect on signal strength"
QED.

I think I understand it much better than you do.

 

[PyroProdigy]

Maybe try using Google, rather than relying entirely upon your husband, or your poor understanding of what he told you.

Just google, "Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect on signal strength"
QED.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303882465_Wind_versus_UHF_Radio_signal

Here's some more information so you can better educate yourself

 

[PyroProdigy]

Tropospheric Propagation

 

[GadgetGuy]

Wind itself has absolutely no direct effect upon signal strength, and other than causing trees to blow in an obstructing manner, and should have no effect upon your drone signal range.

I stand by my original statement. "Wind will have no direct effect upon your drone signal range." Any wind impacts are INDIRECT. Looking for obscure exceptions to try and justify your claim that it will, certainly doesn’t replicate or establish that a drone pilot flying a drone in wind will experience any measurable difference in signal range, over no wind. It is most certainly not "a big factor," as you claimed.

You posted:

"Wind, the sun and clouds also can effect signals. Many people don't know what the wind can be a big factor with signals of all kinds. Radio wave interface as well."

But, heh, it's a free country.
Believe whatever you want.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I think I understand it much better than you do.

"Wind itself does not have a direct physical effect on radio waves.
Radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the movement of the medium they travel through (the air) does not alter them. However, wind can cause indirect effects that degrade radio signal quality."

 

[PyroProdigy]

"Wind itself does not have a direct physical effect on radio waves.
Radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the movement of the medium they travel through (the air) does not alter them. However, wind can cause indirect effects that degrade radio signal quality."

Atmospheric ducting can affect Wi-Fi signals, particularly the common 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, because they operate in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) and super-high frequency (SHF) ranges where this phenomenon is most effective.
How Ducting Affects Wi-Fi Signals
Atmospheric ducting is a phenomenon where layers of the atmosphere with different temperatures and humidity levels trap and guide radio waves. This effectively turns the atmosphere into a waveguide, allowing signals to travel much farther than their normal line-of-sight range. This has two primary effects on Wi-Fi signals:
Extended Range: In some cases, ducting can extend the range of a Wi-Fi signal. While this might seem beneficial, it's generally an unpredictable and temporary effect. A Wi-Fi signal from a remote source could unexpectedly become detectable from a very long distance away.
Interference: The most significant effect of ducting on Wi-Fi is co-channel interference. Signals from distant Wi-Fi networks operating on the same frequency can be "ducted" into an area, causing interference with local networks. This can lead to a variety of issues:
Reduced performance: The distant signal can raise the noise floor for local receivers, making it harder for them to distinguish the desired signal. This can lead to slower speeds and frequent disconnections.
Signal fluctuations: The conditions that create ducting are temporary and change with the weather. This can cause signal interference to appear and disappear suddenly, making network performance unpredictable.
Ducting is a well-known issue for wireless systems, including cellular networks and TV broadcasts, that also operate in similar frequency ranges. Wi-Fi systems, particularly those in coastal or maritime environments where ducting is more common, can be susceptible to these effects.



Wind has a significant effect on atmospheric ducting, primarily by influencing the creation and stability of the atmospheric layers that cause ducting. The most important mechanism is wind shear, which is a change in wind speed or direction with altitude.

Wind's Role in Ducting​

• Creating Layers: Atmospheric ducts form when there is a sharp gradient in the air's refractive index. This is most often caused by a rapid change in temperature (a temperature inversion) or, more commonly, a rapid decrease in humidity with height. Wind is a key factor in creating and maintaining these gradients. For example, wind can advect (move horizontally) a warm, dry air mass over a cooler, moist surface (like the ocean), creating the perfect conditions for a surface-based duct.

• Mixing the Atmosphere: Wind also affects ducting by causing turbulence and mixing. Strong winds and wind shear can break up the stable, stratified layers needed for ducting. When the air is turbulent, temperature and humidity are more evenly mixed, destroying the sharp gradients that form a duct. This is why ducting events are more likely to occur during periods of calm weather.
• Influence on Evaporation Ducts: Over water, evaporation ducts are very common. These ducts are formed by a steep decrease in humidity just above the sea surface due to evaporation. Wind speed directly affects the height and strength of these ducts. Higher wind speeds can increase the rate of evaporation but also increase atmospheric mixing, which can raise the height of the duct and make it less effective.

In summary, while a gentle, steady wind can help in the formation of ducting by moving air masses, strong or turbulent winds with significant wind shear tend to break up the atmospheric layers necessary for ducting to occur, making them less likely or less stable.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Atmospheric ducting can affect Wi-Fi signals, particularly the common 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, because they operate in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) and super-high frequency (SHF) ranges where this phenomenon is most effective.
How Ducting Affects Wi-Fi Signals
Atmospheric ducting is a phenomenon where layers of the atmosphere with different temperatures and humidity levels trap and guide radio waves. This effectively turns the atmosphere into a waveguide, allowing signals to travel much farther than their normal line-of-sight range. This has two primary effects on Wi-Fi signals:
Extended Range: In some cases, ducting can extend the range of a Wi-Fi signal. While this might seem beneficial, it's generally an unpredictable and temporary effect. A Wi-Fi signal from a remote source could unexpectedly become detectable from a very long distance away.
Interference: The most significant effect of ducting on Wi-Fi is co-channel interference. Signals from distant Wi-Fi networks operating on the same frequency can be "ducted" into an area, causing interference with local networks. This can lead to a variety of issues:
Reduced performance: The distant signal can raise the noise floor for local receivers, making it harder for them to distinguish the desired signal. This can lead to slower speeds and frequent disconnections.
Signal fluctuations: The conditions that create ducting are temporary and change with the weather. This can cause signal interference to appear and disappear suddenly, making network performance unpredictable.
Ducting is a well-known issue for wireless systems, including cellular networks and TV broadcasts, that also operate in similar frequency ranges. Wi-Fi systems, particularly those in coastal or maritime environments where ducting is more common, can be susceptible to these effects.



Wind has a significant effect on atmospheric ducting, primarily by influencing the creation and stability of the atmospheric layers that cause ducting. The most important mechanism is wind shear, which is a change in wind speed or direction with altitude.

Wind's Role in Ducting​

• Creating Layers: Atmospheric ducts form when there is a sharp gradient in the air's refractive index. This is most often caused by a rapid change in temperature (a temperature inversion) or, more commonly, a rapid decrease in humidity with height. Wind is a key factor in creating and maintaining these gradients. For example, wind can advect (move horizontally) a warm, dry air mass over a cooler, moist surface (like the ocean), creating the perfect conditions for a surface-based duct.

• Mixing the Atmosphere: Wind also affects ducting by causing turbulence and mixing. Strong winds and wind shear can break up the stable, stratified layers needed for ducting. When the air is turbulent, temperature and humidity are more evenly mixed, destroying the sharp gradients that form a duct. This is why ducting events are more likely to occur during periods of calm weather.
• Influence on Evaporation Ducts: Over water, evaporation ducts are very common. These ducts are formed by a steep decrease in humidity just above the sea surface due to evaporation. Wind speed directly affects the height and strength of these ducts. Higher wind speeds can increase the rate of evaporation but also increase atmospheric mixing, which can raise the height of the duct and make it less effective.

In summary, while a gentle, steady wind can help in the formation of ducting by moving air masses, strong or turbulent winds with significant wind shear tend to break up the atmospheric layers necessary for ducting to occur, making them less likely or less stable.

Prove that any of this has any direct measurable effect upon the control signal range of a drone pilot, as a direct result of wind, which is your original claim.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Tropospheric Propagation

Please let us know when you start flying your drone at the upper altitude of the troposphere! LOL! None of this is relevant at 400 feet AGL!

 

[PyroProdigy]

"Wind itself does not have a direct physical effect on radio waves.
Radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the movement of the medium they travel through (the air) does not alter them. However, wind can cause indirect effects that degrade radio signal quality."

You love Google and arguing without the knowledge to back it up. But I love science and a person who actually understands the science.
You obviously did not read the research material I attached in my above post.

The sun effects wifi via solar flares (small and large) and CMEs.
I personally had a drone destroyed by this. Could've also been a cosmic ray but I doubt that. It's pretty rare.

The wind effects WiFi via ducting and other things if you read the research above as well (which you obviously did not).

Clouds, which are made of water droplets or ice crystals, can affect Wi-Fi signals by causing attenuation and scattering. This effect is similar to how rain or other forms of precipitation interfere with radio waves. The magnitude of this effect depends on the frequency of the Wi-Fi signal and the density of the cloud.

The effect of clouds on a Wi-Fi signal is more pronounced at higher frequencies.
5 GHz Wi-Fi: The 5 GHz band is more susceptible to attenuation from clouds because its shorter wavelength is more easily absorbed by water molecules. This is a primary reason why 5 GHz Wi-Fi has a shorter range and is less effective at penetrating obstacles like walls or, in this case, clouds.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi: The 2.4 GHz band, with its longer wavelength, is less affected by clouds. It is more capable of passing through obstacles, which is why it has a wider range and is generally considered more reliable over long distances and through barriers.
In a practical sense, the effect of clouds on a Wi-Fi signal is most noticeable in outdoor, long-range scenarios. For a typical indoor home Wi-Fi network, the signal is well below the cloud layer, so the effect of clouds is generally negligible. However, for outdoor public hotspots or long-distance wireless links, a heavy cloud cover can lead to slower speeds and less stable connections.

 

[GadgetGuy]

You love Google and arguing without the knowledge to back it up. But I love science and a person who actually understands the science.
You obviously did not read the research material I attached in my above post.

The sun effects wifi via solar flares (small and large) and CMEs.
I personally had a drone destroyed by this. Could've also been a cosmic ray but I doubt that. It's pretty rare.

The wind effects WiFi via ducting and other things if you read the research above as well.

Clouds, which are made of water droplets or ice crystals, can affect Wi-Fi signals by causing attenuation and scattering. This effect is similar to how rain or other forms of precipitation interfere with radio waves. The magnitude of this effect depends on the frequency of the Wi-Fi signal and the density of the cloud.

The effect of clouds on a Wi-Fi signal is more pronounced at higher frequencies.
5 GHz Wi-Fi: The 5 GHz band is more susceptible to attenuation from clouds because its shorter wavelength is more easily absorbed by water molecules. This is a primary reason why 5 GHz Wi-Fi has a shorter range and is less effective at penetrating obstacles like walls or, in this case, clouds.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi: The 2.4 GHz band, with its longer wavelength, is less affected by clouds. It is more capable of passing through obstacles, which is why it has a wider range and is generally considered more reliable over long distances and through barriers.
In a practical sense, the effect of clouds on a Wi-Fi signal is most noticeable in outdoor, long-range scenarios. For a typical indoor home Wi-Fi network, the signal is well below the cloud layer, so the effect of clouds is generally negligible. However, for outdoor public hotspots or long-distance wireless links, a heavy cloud cover can lead to slower speeds and less stable connections.

Nice pivot to clouds. I said nothing about clouds. Only wind.

 

[PyroProdigy]

Please let us know when you start flying your drone at the upper altitude of the troposphere! LOL! None of this is relevant at 400 feet AGL!

As above so below